Senior point guard Peyton Siva, launching a jumper Saturday in the win against South Florida, leads the team in assists and is second in scoring. / Jamie Rhodes, USA TODAY Sports

by Eddie Timanus, USA TODAY Sports

by Eddie Timanus, USA TODAY Sports

For a week, at least, Louisville is No.1. If the Cardinals can earn a second week with that distinction, it will be well-earned.

Louisville tops the USA TODAY coaches poll with 18 first-place votes, climbing from the No. 4 position following an upset-filled week as conference play is now in full swing around the country. It is the Cardinals' first time holding the top rung since March 15, 2009. That is their only other appearance at No. 1 since USA TODAY began administering the poll in 1991. Now all they have to do to retain the ranking for another week is win Monday night at Connecticut, then take care of No. 6 Syracuse at home Saturday - piece of cake.

No. 2 Indiana also climbed three places. The Hoosiers received seven first-place nods and made a strong case for regaining the No. 1 ranking they held in the preseason with a home win against then-No.10 Minnesota. Duke slipped only two places from the top spot to No. 3 after a road loss at North Carolina State but retained seven No.1 votes. Kansas climbed two places to No.4 followed by Michigan, which had a chance to claim the No.1 ranking but became the last Division I team to sustain a loss Sunday at Ohio State. Arizona, also undefeated until a midweek loss at Oregon, fell four places to No. 7.

Staying put were Gonzaga and Florida at eighth and ninth, respectively. Rounding out the top 10 is Creighton, its first venture into that territory since spending a week at No. 9 in 2003.

No. 21 New Mexico returns to the poll after a week's absence. Entering at No. 25 is UCLA. The Bruins have won nine in a row to land their first ranking since the end of November. Georgetown and Wyoming were the week's dropouts.